Vol. 530 No. 1
111 Mr. Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of farmers in the mountain area of Cooley, County Louth, will lose finances under the new area based complementary payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3325/01]
The position is that some £360 million additional funding has been committed to the disadvantaged areas' compensatory allowance scheme over the period 2001 to 2006. It is estimated that 109,000 farmers will qualify for payment under the new area-based scheme. Total expenditure in 2001 will increase by some £60 million to £180 million. Some 81,000 farmers stand to gain under the new arrangements while about 28,000 will incur modest losses.
In County Louth it is estimated that 864 farmers will participate in the scheme with 659 of these gaining on average £827 while the remaining 205 will suffer some loss. I have, however, negotiated a compensation package for losers under which 90% of losses will be made good in 2001, 80% in 2002 and 50% in 2003. Under these arrangements the average loss in County Louth in 2001 will be about £35 rising to £70 in 2002. In the meantime, I have asked my officials to carry out a review of the scheme with a view to finding an equitable solution to the problem of losses.
